Structural device



O l c. T. HA'i'CH 1,826,133

STRUCTURAL DEVICE Filed May 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l- INVENTOR War/65 ZZ/42M gg gLsY ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1931. c HATCH 1,826,133

STRUCTURAL DEVICE Filed May 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR g QW A YATTORNEY 3 Patented on. 6, i931 UNIT g1 PATENT FFICE I CHARLES E. HATCH,OF ALBION, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO UNION STEEL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OFALBION, MICHIGAN srnuo'runar. pnvron Application filed m 9, 1930. SerialNo. 450,898.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a structural device bymeans of which panels of wall board, plaster board or the like may bequickly and effectively attached to walls and ceilingswithout the ne--cessity of puncturing or fracturing such material with fastenings.

A further object is to provide a structural device having theseadvantages which permits the removal of the material without injury andat the same time the wall board or the like is ver securely retained.

A still furt er object is to provide a structural device having theseadvantages which constitutes a finishing or joint strip for the materialsupported.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective disassembled view of coactingsupport and attaching member constituting a structural unit.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing one of the structural devicesattaching to a supporting beam with a fragment of panel in securedposition and a second panel partially engaged, illustrating the mannerof assembling.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 33 of Fig. 1 with the members inengaged position.

Fig. 4 is a cross section through a slightly modified form of attachingmember, the relation of the panels being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form of myimprovements.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing the embodimentof Fig. 5 as attached to a supporting beam and in engagement with thepanels to be supported.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on line 7-7 of Figs. 2 and 6illustrating a satisfactory form of clip for attaching the support to ajoist or studding or the like.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section of another formgor modification of myinvention.

Fig.- 9 is a fragmentary section of still an: other! embodiment of myimprovements, the manner of assembling being illustrated 'by dottedlines.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 represents an iron joist or studding. Y

My improved structural device comprises a support member 2 preferablyof-T-cross section, the cross portion 3 of the support providingattaching flanges as well as stiflenng the web portion 4. The support ispreferably formed of sheet metal folded into the desired sha e.

Finger-1i e panel engaging members 5 are struck out-from the web portionof the support, these being preferably forwardly in clined and curved attheir outer ends, as is clearly shown, to facilitate the engagement ofthe panels therewith, also to prevent injury to the panels, and wheninclined providing a spring or yielding feature to more ef'few tivelyaccommodate variations in thickness pair of inwardly oifset spacedflanges 8 adapt-.

ed to receive the edge of the support 4. These flanges have lugs 9struck inwardly therefrom and adapted to engage the lugs 6. The lugs 6project inwardly toward the base 3 while the lugs 9 project outwardlyaway from the base 3 so that when engaged the parts are very securelyretained. their relation being clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

The flanges are flared outwardly at 10 to facilitate the engagement ofthe attaching member with the support, it only being necessary to pushor drive the attaching member on the support, the flanges yielding orspring ing to permit the passing of the lugs and automatically.springing to engaging position.

The flanges 8 being inwardly offset provide panel engaging shoulders 11(see Fig.

' 1 at intervals corresponding to the width of the panels as by means ofclips 13 (see Figs. 1 and 7). The clips 13 are preferably made of wireas illustrated; that is, bent so as to have a portion which extendsacross the bottom of the I member 1, thence upwardly and over thismember on both sides of the web of the I member, then in line with the Imember, outwardly again, then down over the edge of the .bottom of the Imember through suitable openings provided in the cross portion 3 of thesupport member 2 and finally toward each other so as to engage the lowersurface of the cross member 3 of the supporting member 2. An attachingmember is then slipped onto one of the supports at one side of the spaceto be covered and the edge of the panel engaged therein, the manner ofengaging being illustrated at the right hand of Fig. 2. The panel isthen swung up against the members 5 of an adjacent support and anattaching member engaged on such support into supporting engagement withthe edge of the panel, as shown at the left of Fig.22, the operationsbeing continned until the entire space is covered.

It willbe noted that the attaching members constitute finishing stripsfor the panels. In practice, the panels may be of plaster board, wallboard, cellotex or, like material in panel or sheet form.

' In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the support 14 has panel engagingmembers 15 struck up from the edge thereof instead of the body, as'shownin Fig. 1, the lugs 16 being struck out in the form of indentations orbosses. The attaching member 17 has flanges 18,

' flanges 29 engaging the panels tobe supported.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, the support 24 has bendable lugs 25formed on the edge thereof, the attaching member 26 having inturnedflanges 27 on its edges into which these lugs are forced as theattaching member is pushed or driven into place. I

The flanges of the attaching member in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1to 6 inclusive arepreferably flared outwardly, as stated, to facilitateengagement, directing the support into the panel even though its edgemay be somewhat distorted or bent. The same result is incident to theembodiment of Fig. 8.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the inturned portions 28 are foldedflat against the body of the attaching member instead of being slightlyspaced therefrom, as in Fig. 3.

My improved structural device is particularly desirable for use intemporary buildings where it is desired to salvage the material when thebuildings are torn down and also to provide an attractive and economicalwall finish. The panels of material such as mentioned are effectivelysecured, the joints covered and provided with a finishing strip.

Where it is desired to remove the paneling, the operations described forplacing is reversed. After the attaching member at one side of a wallspace has been removed, the others may be quite easily removed.

The body portion of the attaching memher is preferably curved not onlyfor the sake of appearance but blows upon the central portion thereofwill result in springing out the flanges sufliciently to disengage thelugs or part of them at one end of a strip, affording access forsuitable tools or implements to further disengage the lugs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a structural device, the combination of a support member of Tcross section having a series of lugs struck from the web portionthereof adjacent its outer edge with ad jacent lugs projectingoppositely, said web portion also having a pluralit of laterallyprojecting fingers struck there rom with adjacent fingers projectingoppositely, said fingers being rearwardly curved at their ends, 1 and anattaching member having a transversely curved body portion and spacedsupport member engaging flanges inwardly olfset from its edges, each ofsaid flanges having a plurality of lugs struck inwardly therefrom tocoact with the lugs on said support member.

2. In a structural device, the combination of a support member having aseries of lugs struck therefrom adjacent its outer edge with adjacentlugs projecting oppositely, said web portion also having a plurality oflaterally projecting fingers struck therefrom with adjacent fingersprojecting o positely, and an attaching member having a body portion andspaced support member engaging flanges inwardly offset from its edges,each 6f of said flanges having a plurality of lugs struck inwardlytherefrom to coact with the lugs on said support member, the edges ofsaid flanges being oppositely flared facilitating engagement of saidattaching member with said support member.

4:. In a structural device, the combination of a support member having aseries of lugs struck therefrom adjacent its outer edge with part of thelugs projecting at each side of said member, said support member alsohaving lateral projections at the inner side of said lugs adapted toengage the part to be supported, and an attaching member having a pairof spaced flanges inwardly offset from the edges thereof and having lugscoacting with the lugs on said support member and engaging therewithunder spring tension, the edges of said flanges being outwardly flaredfacilitating engagement with said support member. j

5. In a structural device,the combination of a support member having aseries of lugs struck therefrom adjacent its outer edge with part of thelugs projecting at each side of said member, said support also havinglateral projections at the inner side of said lugs adapted to engage thepart to be supported,

and an attaching memberhaving a pair of spaced flanges inwardly offsetfrom the edges thereof and having lugs coacting with the lugs on saidsupport member and engaging therewith under spring tension.

6. In a structural device,the combination of a support having a seriesof lugs struck therefrom adjacent its outer edge with adj acent lugsprojecting oppositely and also having a plurality of laterallyprojecting panel engaging members struck therefrom with adjacent membersprojecting oppositely, said members being rearwardly curved at theirends, and an attaching member having inwardly ofl'set flanges spaced toreceive said support between them, said flanges having lugs struckinwardly therefrom coacting with said lugs on said support, the edges ofsaid flanges beingflared facilitating engagement of said attachingmember with said support.

In a structuraldevice,thecombinationof a support having a series of lugsstruck therefrom adjacent its outer edge with adjacent lugs projectingoppositely and also having a plurality of laterally projecting panelengaging members struck therefrom with adjacent members projectingopposite ly, and an attaching member having inwardly offset flangesspaced to receive said support between them, said flanges having lugsstruck inwardly therefrom coacting with said lugs on said support.

In a structural device, the combination of a support provided withlaterally projecting lugs, and an attaching member having spaced flangesadapted to receive the edge of said support and to engage with said lugsthereon, said attaching member having panel engaging parts extendinglaterally from said flanges.

9. In a structural device, the combination of a support having integrallugs adjacent the edge thereof andlaterally projecting members at theinner sides of said lugs, and an attaching member having a longitudinalopening adapted to receive the edge of said support member and havingparts engaging with the said lugs thereon.

10, In a structural device, the combination of a support having lugsadjacent its outer edge and lateral projections at the inner side ofsaidlugs adapted to engage a part to be supported, and an attachingmember having a lon itudinai channel adapted to receive thee ge of saidsupport and provided with lug parts coacting with said lugs on saidsupport.

11. In a structural device, the combination of a support having lugsadjacent its outer.

edge, and an attaching member having a longitudinal channel adapted toreceive the edge of said support and provided with lug parts reactingwith said lugs on said support.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES T. HATCH.

